Electric vehicles have been shown to be better for the health of the planet and, not unrelatedly, it turns out they are better for the health of individual humans, too. A new study published in the Environmental Research Health journal recently laid out how electric cars replacing gas-powered ones leads to better air quality and a variety of health benefits.
The study focused on New York City, creating mathematical models for what would happen if all of the cars sold in the city were electric. The models showed that the number of health problems that could be avoided in such a scenario was tremendous.
"We find that [...] establishing 100% on-road electric [medium- and heavy-duty vehicles] by 2040 would prevent over $2.4 billion in health damages in 2040," the study's authors wrote.
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Absolutely 👍 "Most avoidable health costs would be achieved through reductions in traffic-related air-pollutant-attributable mortality and pediatric asthma ED visits. ... In addition to avoided asthma ED visits, the reduction of [nitrous oxide] concentrations in both scenarios show substantial impacts on the avoidance of new pediatric asthma cases and pediatric asthma exacerbations."
This is not the first study to reach similar conclusions — a recent report from the University of Toronto showed that switching to electric cars throughout the United States could save up to $188 billion in health costs by 2050.
While much is made — and rightfully so — of the planet-overheating effects of the air pollution caused by gas-burning cars, we tend to hear less about the individual human costs of this pollution.
However, it is no less devastating. As both studies explained, air pollution from gas-powered cars directly results in poor air quality, which in turn leads to asthma (particularly pediatric asthma) and other respiratory illnesses.
Luckily for New York City, the focus of the first study, residents in Manhattan already have less air pollution to deal with thanks to the recently implemented congestion pricing, which encourages less polluting travel choices by charging drivers a $9 toll for entering the most congested parts of the borough by car.
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